In Dallas, Deep Ellum is known for many things and, high among these, is the public art. One man’s mural is another’s graffiti – but in Deep Ellum, colorful art rules the brick.
Yeah, right.
It has been that way for a long time. I remember going down there almost two decades ago and watching a group paint some monument-like panels erected under the highway. Each artist had a different stele to paint – all different sizes and shapes. I watched them work with jealous desire – wanting to paint something worthwhile but aware that I lacked the talent.
There was a tunnel where Good Latimer Expressway coursed below some railroad tracks which had been painted in a long string of bizarre panels. It raised quite a bit of concern when the tunnel was torn out and the street raised to ground level along where the DART station now sits.
The capstone of the old tunnel is used as a backrest for one of the Traveling Man sculptures.
Now there are as many murals as ever down there. Everything from strangeness to music and back.
Last weekend I took advantage of some surprisingly good weather to go on a long bike ride and one stretch took me through Deep Ellum. I had a compact camera in a little bag on my handlebars, so I stopped and took some shots of some of the murals. These are across from the Deep Ellum Dart station – oddly enough not far from where the old Good Latimer tunnel used to be.
So today, here are a couple works by Amber Campagna, “Bait” and “Chomp.”
“Bait” by Amber Campagna. The paint is falling off the wall – which makes it especially interesting in an odd way.
A little way farther down the wall is “Chomp”, also by Amber Campagna
Read a harrowing short story in a collection by Joyce Carol Oates the other night. It was literary in structure and style, but a crime thriller in effect. If I could, this is what I would write.
Ever since seeing the wonderful movie Tampopo, I’ve been bummed that Dallas has a lack of places to get decent Ramen. Finally, that seems to be coming to an end. Dallas to Finally Get a Dedicated Ramen Spot
Even better, the place seems to be a product of the couple that did the cool Wicked Po’ Boys place here in Richardson.
Today was a duo called Bad Veins – a guitar/singer/keyboardist and a drummer. They said they usually play with a backing tape deck (named Irene) but decided to be a little more laid back and simply play. They were pretty darn good. They had a little cadre of fans sitting in plastic chairs in the street. How cool.
Benjamin Davis – Bad Veins guitar player and singer.
She asks me why, I’m just a hairy guy.
I’m hairy noon and night, hair that’s a fright.
I’m hairy high and low, don’t ask me why, don’t know.
It’s not for lack of bread, like the Greadful Death.
Darlin’
—Hair – lyrics by James Rado and Gerome Ragni
Deep Ellum Market, Main Street, Dallas, Texas
“Stay alive, no matter what occurs! I will find you. No matter how long it takes, no matter how far, I will find you. I will find you!”
― James Fenimore Cooper, The Last of the Mohicans
A Pollinator Bock on the right, Dallas Blonde (I think) on the left.
Saturday was a very busy day – in a good way. There was a lot of stuff going on, stuff I was looking forward to, and I had to pick and choose what I could get into my schedule.
First, at 8 AM, was a bicycle swap meet up in Frisco, in the infield of the Superdrome. I’m beginning to think I might be able to keep my two ancient bicycles running a bit longer, and I could use some cheap used parts and accessories.
Then, at noon, was the 1st Anniversary Party at the Deep Ellum Brewing Company – I’ll write about that today…. Then, there was a Deep Ellum Outdoor Market, which is always fun. And then Candy and I wanted to eat dinner at a place we’ve been eying – Il Cane Rosso, also in Deep Ellum.
I’m not sure exactly when I first had a Deep Ellum Brewing Company beer – perhaps it was at The Foundry, earlier this summer, or maybe at the Gingerman, or Oddfellows in Bishop Arts. This sounds a little silly, but I had almost completely stopped drinking – I simply had lost the taste for it. But I loved the beers… all the beers, from the Deep Ellum Brewing Company and really, try to restrict my patronage to establishments that sell their stuff.
Well, it didn’t take long to find our from their website that they have Saturday beer tours at their brewery, complete with tastings, live music, and cool people. It’s one of the best times in Dallas… really.
So when I read that they were having a big blowout for their 1st anniversary of operation I bought tickets in advance online, knowing that there was going to be a big crowd. I was especially excited about a new beer they were going to debut – Pollenator Bock, with real honey in it.
So once we showed up and waited in line to get our glass and chart showing the beer offerings and tap locations I immediately went to the end of the long line to get a glass of Pollenator.
I am not a beer expert, but that stuff is about the most delicious liquid I’ve ever drank. I couldn’t help but walk around with a stupid grin as I sipped it down.
Now, it isn’t for everybody. I talked to a couple of beer fans that said it was way too sweet for them . I asked them if they were “Real IPA People” and they nodded yes. That might be why I liked it so much – it doesn’t really taste like beer. You can really taste the honey in it, it’s almost sweet. It’s very complex and not like anything I’ve ever had. That’s why I loved it so much.
It’s the sort of thing you will really like if you really like that sort of thing.
What I really like about the tours at Deep Ellum Brewing is the live music. Today they had a double bill. Up first was Cody Foote, who I had seen a couple months back in the same place.
Cody Foote
Then, the O’s came out and played the place dry. I’ve seen the O’s a couple of times – first was down in the Arts District at one of the cool Patio Sessions Concerts that I love.
One of the two O’s.
The O’s must be famous, they have their portrait on the Hall of Fame Wall. And how can you not love a band that sings a song about Tietze Park?
The place was packed – maybe a little more packed than I would have liked – but they had plenty of beer taps going and everybody was having a good time.
So congratulations to Deep Ellum Brewing Company on their first year. I hope I’m able to get a growler full of that Pollenator Bock somewhere – it’s something special. The are starting to bottle now, though I still thing a tap is the only best way to drink a beer. I’m sure there will be a second and third and more and more anniversaries for the brewery – I hope they are able to stay local, though, and stay good and true to their vision.
Otherwise I guess I’ll just have to quit drinking again.
As I work on what my future is going to be like, I had, for all practical purposes, quit drinking. I simply don’t have the time or the calories to spare. The one exception is that if there is an interesting something… I’d give it a go.
Lately, around town, I had been stumbling into events that served beer from the Deep Ellum Brewing Company. If you live in Dallas, you know what Deep Ellum is. If you don’t – it’s a historic district, just east of downtown, that has seen a roller coaster of ups and downs over the last hundred years or so and is, arguably, the heart of the city – from the days of Leadbelly and Blind Lemon Jefferson, to the heyday of the 80’s, and beyond.
Deep Ellum has been struggling for a few years now, but it still has industrial space and is a magnet for the young, hip… and the notso young and hip – anyone looking for something different.
So it is where you would expect a quality craft brewery to sprout up.
Their manifesto:
Beerfesto
To you, the beer drinker, Deep Ellum Brewing Company pleges:
The Founders of Deep Ellum Brewing Company Have Had Enough
Enough of watching beer’s good name being tarnished.
Enough of watching big, corporate breweries pumping out the same old dull, watered-down stuff, Slapping a different label on it and telling you that you have choices.
ENOUGH OF BAD BEER
To show their dissatisfaction with the status quo, the four founders of Deep Ellum Brewing Company have set up shop in Dallas’ most nefarious neighborhood, and between their big personalities and bigger beers, they plan to show Big D what it’s been missing.
Trying to find something to do on the weekend, and looking at the Brewery’s Web Site, I found that they offered tours. At noon Saturday (and Thursday’s at six) you can pay ten dollars, get a glass, samples, and a tour. That sounded like a plan.
I had to go to work really early on Saturday, but that meant I finished early and had time to get in a bike ride (and a flat tire) and still make it down to Deep Ellum by noon. I changed clothes in my car and was hot, hungry, and thirsty – but hot and thirsty is the best and only way to tour a brewery.
It was a blast. They have a little beer garden down there with live music (the guy was good and I have no idea who he was) [PS – I think the guy was Jes Spires) and a great crowd. A food truck showed up (I needed to get some food in me) and the taps were going strong. I am definitely planning on going back. Thursday evening sounds like a plan.
And the beer was so, so good. I tried their newest brew – Dallas Blonde, then moved on to the Deep Ellum IPA and finished with the Double Brown Stout. I can honestly say every Deep Ellum Brewery beer I’ve tried I’ve liked better than the one before. For example, I’m not that big of an IPA fan – but that stuff blew me away. It’s pretty rare that I think “Wow” to myself when I first sip a new brew – but I did with each of those.
So now I have to modify what I say. Instead of “I don’t drink anymore” I have to say, “I don’t always drink beer – but when I do, it has to be from the Deep Ellum Brewing Company.”
Music in the Deep Ellum Brewing Company Beer Garden
There was a big crowd for the brewery tour.
Zach talks about hops.
A hearty cheer – for good beer.
The taps were going.
Where the magic happens.
Some of the limited production beer is aged in wine casks.
Bill Chance 